Lawmakers Push Secretary Of State Rubio To Help Free American Jailed In Russia For Medical Marijuana

“A renewed commitment to Marc is needed now more than ever. To that end, we request you do everything in your power to bring Marc home immediately.”

By Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation is hoping that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be able to help bring Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel home from a Russian prison.

They have sent an open letter to Rubio, who was sworn in Wednesday, urging him to use State Department resources to get Fogel out of prison and back to the United States.

Fogel, who is from Oakmont, Allegheny County, was detained at a Moscow airport in August 2021 after being found with marijuana in his luggage. He was legally allowed to use the product in Pennsylvania through the state’s medical program. He had been living in Russia since 2012, where he taught at an Anglo-American school.

Fogel was not part of a Russian prisoner swap brokered by the Biden administration in August 2024, to his family’s disappointment.

Then, Fogel’s family in the United States said, “we are completely heartbroken and outraged that Marc has been left behind while the U.S. government brought other Americans home.”

The letter to Rubio is the latest effort by Pennsylvania lawmakers to keep attention on Fogel’s status, and push for his release. Pennsylvania lawmakers had sent a similar letter last August when word got out that the Biden administration was brokering a prisoner swap, though that effort was unsuccessful.

Yesterday, my colleague @SenFettermanPA and I led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to @SecRubio urging him to use all the tools at his disposal to bring home Pennsylvania school teacher Marc Fogel, who has been wrongfully detained by the Russian government for nearly four years. 11… pic.twitter.com/OLsjeIalCM

— Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) January 24, 2025

“A renewed commitment to Marc is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “To that end, we request you do everything in your power to bring Marc home immediately.”

The letter also laid out specific steps that they hope Rubio and the Department of State will take. Those include resubmitting monthly requests for U.S. embassy staff to visit Marc, arranging frequent medical check-ups, regularly engaging with the Fogel family and providing briefings to Congress on Fogel’s status.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter was signed by both Pennsylvania senators, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick, and 11 of the state’s 17 representatives, including members of both parties.

Rubio was sworn in as secretary of state on Wednesday after a relatively uneventful confirmation process. His confirmation vote was unanimous.

This story was first published by Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

These States Are The Most Likely To Legalize Marijuana In 2025, According To Top Advocacy Groups